Pinning down liberalism can be confusing. I think it had been small government and laissez-faire in the past, but it became more of a big-government ideology when the problems caused by industrialisation really set in. Reminds me of a video clip from school where one liberal explains the need for nationalised health care, more welfare etc, and the shocked person he is speaking to says "But sir, that is socialism", and then the guy says "No my friend, it is a new enlightened form of liberalism".

Hence maybe the above confusion.

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